


Believe Your Eyes

by Control_Room



Series: Charlotte, Joey, and... Joey? [4]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Angst, F/M, Family, Fluff, Gen, Ghosts, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Loss, Night Terrors, Nightmares, Self depreciation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 16:40:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21761404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Control_Room/pseuds/Control_Room
Summary: Reality can fade when your mind is your worst enemy.
Relationships: Joey Drew & Joey Drew, Joey Drew/Charlotte Drew
Series: Charlotte, Joey, and... Joey? [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1568356
Comments: 5
Kudos: 4





	Believe Your Eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BallofYarn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BallofYarn/gifts).



> partially inspired by this drawing that star did: https://startistdoodles.tumblr.com/post/176671161915/joey-what-would-you-do-if-you-saw-your-beautiful  
> im weeping because hHH senD HeLp

Joey never thought to see Charlotte again. Even if he died as well, since it was pretty clear to him that he would not go to heaven to reunite with her. He missed her terribly, like a thorn in his heart, aching more painfully with each passing beat. Thinking of her made his head spin with so many emotions, both heartwarming and heart shattering. He could not decide if he was happy or sad to think of her, knowing she was the only one he ever loved and could love. And Mary Jane, dear Mary Jane, how badly he hurt her in his grief! Thinking of those days made Joey duck his head with shame, knowing that if he somehow  _ could _ see his sweet wife again, how would he be able to look her in the eyes? 

Joey slumped in his chair, covering his eyes with an arm, exhaling slowly, tremblingly. What had he done to his remaining family? Now he was alone… though was he really ever alone?

His headache said otherwise. The hissing worming in his thoughts and resounding in his mind agreed with the sentiment. 

Joey missed his family. So much. With each breath, the hurt came back. He sniffed, trying not to cry, scolding himself that he was a grown man, that he could take the pain himself. In his muffled anguish, he hardly could register the door clicking open and shutting. He did not care enough to allow his paranoia to escape into his mind, so empty he was. If someone finally found him to exact revenge, so be it. Maybe they would pity an old man weeping at his desk for all he had done to everyone he knew.

He was not expecting the soft hand sweeping through the fringe on his brow. Nor the delicate sigh, and he tensed as the hand moved gently down to lower his arm away from his face. He never, ever could have prepared himself for her. Her worried beautiful brown eyes, gorgeous blonde hair, everything about her so perfect, and his heart spilled.

Joey nearly jumped to his feet, looking at his wife with wide bicolored eyes. His lip trembled, and his hands shook, his chest feeling as though it were taking in too much and too little air all at once. He attempted to say something, anything, his words catching in his throat painfully.

“Is something wrong, dear?” she asked with concern, reaching toward him. It was too much for him, and he shuffled over to her as quickly as he could, wrapping her in his arms gripping her tightly, never wanting to let go. How could he, how could he? Large salty tears streamed down his face, touching his lips, the taste so real, the fabric of her clothes so solid, her hair just as perfect as he remembered, and her gentle returning hug so comforting and wonderful. “I missed you, my love… you’ve been sitting here in your office so long, I was getting worried.”

Joey only sobbed in response. Was it all a dream? Did she ever really die? Was he ever truly alone with his demons? Was he sent to hell early and given a second chance? 

“Joey, sweetheart, look at me,” Charlotte instructed with the gentleness Joey knew her for, that everyone who saw her knew her for. He pulled away, wiping at his eyes, heart thumping to see her ag-

The ink demon grinned at him.

Joey shrieked, shoving him away, anger welling in his heart, dashing out his incredulous hope.

The demon only laughed, a long, hard guffaw.

“You should’ve seen the look on your face!” he howled, a flush rising up Joey’s cheeks in anger. “Oh, that was just rich!”

He leaned in to Joey’s face, grin wide and eyes narrow, sadistically enjoying every little wave of madness and pain welling out of the man. 

“She’s never coming back.” He hissed through his smile, that damned and damning smile. “Wake up Drew, you’re alone. You lost everyone. No one wants to be around you. You don’t deserve it, too.”

“Shut up,” Joey darkly replied, swiftly turning away. The ink demon just gave another resounding laugh, drowning out Joey’s thoughts of keeping calm. He whipped back around to hit the demon, having reached a breaking point, tears blurred his vision, arm whistling through the air to hi-

Brown eyes.

Joey’s arm stopped dead in its tracks, he panting in fear, in confusion.

He backed up, shaking his head ‘no’, over and over.

The ink demon transmogrified out of her skin, and Joey thought he may vomit. He wanted to scream, to sob, to curse, to fight back against the demon, but it was his own mind against him.

What could he do but watch in terror and anguish?

The ink demon stepped toward him with ease, growing with each step.

“You’re not alone,” he growled, but his voice, his words, they were not his. Joey recognized them, but from where? “Wake up, doc.”

The demon came closer, hands resting on Joey’s shoulders. He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the end of it all.

There was only a light shaking.

“Jekyll, wake up,” a soft voice worriedly called. “Wake up, Doc….”

Jekyll peeked through squinting eyes. Inky horns were now paint brushed blue hair, cruel grin became an anxious mouth, teeth biting lip in worry. Red eyes searched him, pink glasses reflecting his distraught face back at him.

“Johan…?” he croaked, his throat feeling raw. He was not in his office anymore, but he slowly came to recognize that he was in Johan’s apartment. Three cups rested on the table, and Jekyll sprawled on the couch. He pushed himself up, rubbing his eyes. “Ugh, what a nightmare….”

“Hyde still eatin’ at you?” Johan questioned, raising an eyebrow, eyes soft. “Well, it’ll take a while for the memories to fade, you know.”

“I know,” he replied hollowly. His hand found his way to his ri-

Where was his ring?

His hand shot up so he could inspect it. Sure as day, his ring wasn’t there.

He leapt up, scanning the floor frantically. Johan stumbled to his feet and dragged Jekyll back to the couch.

“Whoa, whoa, Jek, there’s no need to panic,” Johan assured him, tracing his line of thought impeccably. “Charlotte just wanted to polish it a bit.”

Jekyll’s mind stopped working, until the memories of the previous day swarmed into him.

The ghostly melody filled the room, the soft tones of lavender’s blue sweeping through the air as she drifted in, illuminating the room with her beautiful aura, inspecting the golden band in her hand, humming with satisfaction. 

Catching Jekyll’s eyes, she smiled at him, floating over to rest beside him, slipping his ring back onto his hand. Jekyll’s hand grasped hers.

He looked to Johan gratefully, and wrapped his wife in a hug. Yes, she was only there temporarily, but she would be there again. He would be able to see her, and hold her, and….

“I love you,” he blurted, still as awkward as always. She laughed softly, hugging him back tightly, her incorporeal form allowing their hug to work, seeing as he was seated on the couch in his shock and the weakness of his heart. 

“I love you too, Joey,” she warmly and tenderly whispered back, just as she always was, warm and tender, so supportive and always there for him, no matter what could happen, and he fell in love all over again.


End file.
